What fuels the hate

Published: Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 08:00 AM.

As a black individual who interacts daily with people of other races, I am not the least bit surprised about the content of an Oct. 28 News Herald article, “AP: Racial attitudes no better in past 4 years.”

Since Barack Obama became president, the “right-wing hate machine” has twisted the minds of many in this country. To an associate, I would ask: “Why do you hate this man (Obama)? Is it really his policies you detest, or is it your fear that he just might resolve some things that preceding presidents couldn’t or wouldn’t do?”

On occasions I would assert, “Your core concern is that a highly accomplished president is African-American/black (mixed blood/self-proclaimed) and doesn’t conspire to radical conservatism; scratching when there is no itch, and dancing when there is no music.”

In the article, and AP poll found that “Republicans were more likely than Democrats to express racial prejudice in the questions measuring explicit racism (79 percent to 32 percent).” As supportive evidence, the article cited “the explicit use of bumper stickers, cartoons and protest posters that mock the president as a lion or a monkey, or lynch him in effigy.”

Nearly four years ago, I wrote that history would reveal President Obama to be a great national and international unifier. I still feel the same today. However, I need to amend my prediction to make allowances for the “living relatives of Jim Crow.” After all, these remain the same shallow-minded clan who attempted to bring disunity to this nation some years ago (1861-65) over a “cotton-picking black man.” Hence, “plantations” were notorious for promoting hatred and fear, but thorns and thistles have never blinded our way. Vote!

W. DAVID CROMARTIE Lynn Haven

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As a black individual who interacts daily with people of other races, I am not the least bit surprised about the content of an Oct. 28 News Herald article, “AP: Racial attitudes no better in past 4 years.”

Since Barack Obama became president, the “right-wing hate machine” has twisted the minds of many in this country. To an associate, I would ask: “Why do you hate this man (Obama)? Is it really his policies you detest, or is it your fear that he just might resolve some things that preceding presidents couldn’t or wouldn’t do?”

On occasions I would assert, “Your core concern is that a highly accomplished president is African-American/black (mixed blood/self-proclaimed) and doesn’t conspire to radical conservatism; scratching when there is no itch, and dancing when there is no music.”

In the article, and AP poll found that “Republicans were more likely than Democrats to express racial prejudice in the questions measuring explicit racism (79 percent to 32 percent).” As supportive evidence, the article cited “the explicit use of bumper stickers, cartoons and protest posters that mock the president as a lion or a monkey, or lynch him in effigy.”

Nearly four years ago, I wrote that history would reveal President Obama to be a great national and international unifier. I still feel the same today. However, I need to amend my prediction to make allowances for the “living relatives of Jim Crow.” After all, these remain the same shallow-minded clan who attempted to bring disunity to this nation some years ago (1861-65) over a “cotton-picking black man.” Hence, “plantations” were notorious for promoting hatred and fear, but thorns and thistles have never blinded our way. Vote!